Viral Affair (The Banks #2)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

V eronica

“Come on, let’s go in here. I’m not drunk enough yet to head back to our Airbnb, Clara,” I said, dragging my bestie into a swanky bar in the centre of Ornos, on the island of Mykonos, Greece. The weather was hot and humid, but I was having the time of my life with her.

This was the holiday of a lifetime. Good thing this was our last night on the island because we’d spent almost all of our money. It was the end of August and scorching hot. My white top clung to my body, but I didn’t mind. I loved the heat. This climate suited me.

“All right then, but I’m only having one. Remember our flight is early in the morning. I don’t fancy flying back home and hungover,” Clara stated seriously. She might not like to travel with a hangover, but I didn’t care. I was here to enjoy myself.

I waved her comment off flippantly and we walked into a busy bar in the centre of town.

I had been working as a stripper in London. By doing so, I’d saved quite a bit of money for this summer getaway, and Mykonos was our last stop. Tomorrow, I would be flying back home, back to the reality of the strip club, and back to my flat in Camden Market. Unfortunately, my life didn’t turn out how I’d imagined it as I was growing up, but I reminded myself that as long as I was having fun, nothing else mattered.

My other best friend and roommate, Laura, was currently away in America. She was a nanny for a wealthy English family, but that wasn’t her dream job, either. Laura had been in politics, but she’d gotten involved with a famous pop star who turned out to be a real arsehole in the end. He had cheated on her with two different women and had a notorious cocaine habit. After that incident, she had been too afraid to go back to the corporate world, so she’d settled on being a nanny. She was always telling me that her quiet, ordinary life suited her better than constantly being in the spotlight.

“What can I get you?” a cute, dark-haired Greek barman asked when we finally squeezed through the crowd of drunken people having a ball. Who could blame them? It was hard to not have fun on this island.

I really didn’t want to leave this paradise yet, but Clara and I had been travelling since July. It had been a very eventful summer, full of laughter, sun, and fun. We’d met a fair amount of guys during this vacation but so far, I had avoided sleeping with any of them.

We were both young and single. None of us were looking for a real relationship, but after going through so many frogs in male form, I had almost given up on the idea of no-strings-attached sex. Tonight would be my last attempt to finally hook up with a handsome stranger on this trip. I didn’t like sleeping around, but it had been so long since I let my hair down that I was up for some steamy action. Tomorrow, this fairytale would end, and life as usual would resume, boring and monotonous.

“Two mojitos, please, and keep the tab open,” I yelled over all the noise.

“Coming right up,” the barman said with a smile and a twinkle in his gorgeous brown eyes.

He was my type, but he was working. He probably wouldn’t have time to sneak out the back to satisfy a girl like me. And I wanted more than just five minutes with a stranger. Give me at least ten.

“I’m going to take some pictures. This is our last night, and we need to go back to London with good memories!” Clara pulled out her phone and started taking a zillion selfies of us both. We smiled, made funny faces, and stuck our tongue out at the camera. We couldn’t help but laugh between all the pictures.

Soon after, the drinks arrived and I sucked on my straw, feeling considerably hot and horny. Rum had that effect on me.

While I didn’t have the urge to sleep with random guys, Clara had indulged her libido in every new country and island we’d visited over the past two months, with someone new each time. I had no clue how she did it.

Every guy who showed an interest in me turned out to be a prick, so I always ended up in my room, alone and miserable. And horny. I wanted something more than just a guy who was extremely good-looking and funny. I wanted him to hold a meaningful conversation for at least a minute, and he needed to be smart, too. Yeah, it was just one night, an hour or so of wild sex and we would never have to see each other again after that. Still, I was craving a little extra, so that was the main reason I had been holding back. It was a lot to ask for from a one night stand, sure, but I just needed to have a little connection.

“All right, I’m going to dance. You coming?” I asked Clara, who scrolled through her phone, not noticing the two guys eyeing us from their corner seats.

“Nah … my legs are aching and I need to email my brother. He’s worried about me,” she replied, scrunching her eyebrows.

I shrugged and hit the dance floor, leaving Clara alone to fend for herself. The music was loud and I let my body sway to the rhythm while holding my drink, surrounded by strangers. I closed my eyes for a moment, immersing myself in this atmosphere. When I opened them again, I glanced back at Clara. It seemed like she was taking a video because she was smiling, signalling to me to keep dancing.

I sipped on my drink and continued to dance for a while, enjoying the feeling of surrendering to the beat and the taste of refreshing mint. There was something in the air, an electrifying energy that made me feel alive. Full of desire for something…

“Hey, beautiful, do you mind if I join you?” a sexy and sultry British-sounding voice whispered in my ear.

I turned, finding a tall, handsome guy standing behind me. He had slightly long dark-black hair, pale-blue eyes, and a beard that hadn’t been trimmed in a while. But the beard wasn’t unkempt. The heat from his gaze sent shivers down my spine.

“You want to dance with me?” I eyed him with reservation.

He was standing so close that the air between us crackled with electricity, stealing my breath. Normally at this point, any other guy would just glance down at my cleavage then let his gaze trail brazenly down my body—but not this one. The man in front of me looked directly into my eyes, as though he was suddenly captivated by me. He continued to hold my gaze.

“How about we go outside to get some fresh air? We can talk?” he asked.

I nodded without thinking because I definitely wanted to get to know him. He took my hand in his and walked me through the crowd of people until we stepped outside into the heavy, humid air. His hand was so much larger than mine.

“My name is Rupert. What’s yours?”

“I’m Valerie,” I introduced myself, smiling shyly. I didn't want to give him my real name and this sounded like it fitted me perfectly this evening.

He gave my hand a firm shake. We stared at each other for a few moments. It felt like time stood still and the world around us ceased to exist. Someone must have put a spell on me because I had an inexplicably strong attraction towards this complete stranger. I had never felt anything like this before. Something was pulling me to him, as though a string was connecting our bodies together.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Valerie. Have you been on the island long?” He cocked his head to the side and stared into my eyes.

“About two weeks, and you?” I asked, instantly knowing that I was going to spend the night with this guy.

“I only just got here this evening. I wasn’t planning to go out at all, but my brother told me he was meeting some girl here, so I tagged along.” He glanced down at my lips. “I hope you don’t mind me saying so, Valerie, but you’re very beautiful. The moment I saw you, I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” I could melt because of this heat, but his words also did something to my knees.

What was happening to me? This guy wasn’t like any of the others I’d met on my travels around Europe. He seemed so down-to-earth, well-spoken, and he wasn’t too forward with me, nor was he too afraid to say what he was feeling. All the previous guys I’d met in the bars or clubs were instantly all over me, trying to kiss or hold me, but not Rupert. He was close, hot, but he wasn’t in my space. He wasn’t trying to grope me, either.

“Thank you, that is so sweet of you. Where are you from? You have a proper London accent,” I asked, unsure whether I was right or not. I was attracted to him, there was no doubt about it. At that moment, all I could think about was kissing him, just to prove to myself that I could.

He laughed. “Yes, I’m very cliché. I’m a businessman from London.” His smile was dazzling and I was enamoured by it.

I licked my lips and thought fuck it. This was my last night and this guy was polite, handsome, and sexy as hell. I had to make the first move. His white cotton shirt fit nicely over his strong arms. Two of his buttons were undone, revealing a tanned, muscular chest.

I took a step towards him.

“I’m going to kiss you now, Rupert, and I want you to know I normally don’t do this, but I feel like we have a connection.” I looked up and stared directly into his pale-blue eyes. I stood up on my tiptoes, wrapped my arms around his neck, and drew him to my mouth.

The moment our lips touched, I was lost in him. Rupert brought me closer, grabbed my face with his large hands, and kissed me back with incredible passion. Fuck! I had never been kissed like this. His lips were so soft but firm, and as he devoured my mouth, a rush of burning heat gathered between my legs. He was kissing me like he couldn’t get enough, and he tasted incredible.

By the time he pulled away, I was breathless, flustered, and my nipples had formed into hard pebbles.

“Damn, Valerie, you are something else. I want …” He paused and took a deep breath. “I want to hear you moan my name when you come for me. I want you in my bed, and I know this may sound corny, but I normally don’t sleep with women I just met.” He dragged his hand nervously through his hair with a slightly trembling hand. This was such a turn on.

I smiled, squealing on the inside. I couldn’t believe that this was happening for real. Rupert’s words filled me with longing—I couldn’t have asked for a better person to spend my last night in Greece with.

“I want the same thing.” I leaned into him. “Take me to your hotel room,” I said confidently, never more certain of anything in my life.

A huge smile broke over his handsome face. “Come on then, it’s not far from here.”

He took my hand again, and we walked together through the streets of Mykonos, heading to Rupert’s hotel. I texted Clara quickly, letting her know I wasn’t coming back with her tonight. She’d probably already met someone in the bar, as usual. That was how things normally rolled with her.

Rupert hadn’t been lying when he said his hotel was close. It was one of those stylish, high-end boutique hotels in the heart of the island. We got into the lift with a few other people. He held my hand tightly and my heart thumped loudly.

It had been a whole year since I’d slept with anyone, and now I wasn’t sure what to expect. I just had to hope I’d be enough for him. He was so … different. People assumed I played fast and loose because of the job I had, but nothing was further from the truth.

The lift arrived at his floor. We got off and moved down a short corridor to his room. He opened the door and gestured for me to go inside. A real gentleman, too …

Once in the room, he closed and locked the door behind us.

“Wow, this is very nice.” I looked around, immediately noticing the enormous bed. The room was decorated in calming colours and tasteful art. A bouquet of calla lilies and valley tulips rested on a small table by the balcony window.

He turned to me and bent down to rest his forehead against mine, his thumb drawing small circles on the back of my hand. “Are you sure you want to do this, Valerie?” He stared at me with hunger in his eyes. It was so gentlemanly of him to make sure that I wanted to continue what we were doing.

From the obvious bulge in his trousers, I knew he was holding back.My breathing became more ragged as time was passing.

“Because once I have you in my bed, I won’t stop until everyone in this hotel hears you screaming my name.” He could not have been more serious when he said this, and it made me shiver.

I swallowed hard and willed myself to hold my nerve. Rupert wanted to make sure I was all right with us sleeping together tonight. He wanted me and he was waiting for me to say yes to him. Damn it, I had never met a guy who acted like that. Certainly not any of the guys who hung out at the club or those I came across on my nights out. He must have had some great home training.

“Yes, Rupert, I want you, too.” I gazed at him, mischief taking over. “Don’t hold back. Fuck me like you mean it,” I said, biting my lip, and then took off my shirt and stood in front of him in my lace bra where he had a slightly unobstructed view of my nipples.

His gaze moved down to my chest and then back up to my lips. Then he cupped the back of my neck, pulled me in, and kissed me hard, until I was completely out of breath. Needy with desire, I was capturing the sensation of dampness that spread between my legs. Suddenly, his mouth was everywhere, kissing and nipping lightly until I moaned loudly. He traced his lips down my neck, while his hand cupped and played with my breasts. Taking one nipple into his forefinger and thumb, he squeezed the tip and pulled it. It made me moan out, wanting more. My pussy was throbbing at this point, I was beginning to turn into mush under his hands. He kept playing with my breast, kissing me deeply, and letting his other hand wander down.

“I’m so hard for you, I need you to tell me exactly what you want me to do to you right now.” He kissed my collarbone and proceeding to unclasp my bra with one swift move.He leaned down and took my nipple into his mouth, first flicking it with his tongue and then biting at it. Feeling these things, I knew it was great that I had not slept with anyone during this trip. Honestly, nothing would have compared to the sensation that I am having, electric impulses flu between my breasts and my clit.

I was so wet for him, so ready and throbbing, but I had never been very expressive in the bedroom. I wasn’t really sure what to say.

“Touch me between my legs… oh!” I gasped. His hand had wandered south, but it finally was there. He cupped my pussy and then he flicked his middle finger up, towards himself. When he did this, he slid over my entrance and grazed my clit. I couldn’t help but to yell out when this happened. I fell into him, my body was wonton and he had to hold me up. I was in a stage of pure ecstasy and my legs were beginning to shake a little.

I cried out when he flicked my left breast with his tongue. He began circling around the hardened nipple again. Then he sucked on it hard, making me crazy with need. That felt so good. It was like there was a nerve line straight from my breasts to my cunt. I wanted and needed more of him. No other guy had ever asked me to tell him what I liked in bed.

“No, not good enough. I need you to tell me exactly what you want me to do to you, in specific detail,” he growled before pushing me down on the bed. I thumped down and bounced up a couple of times.

I stared at him when he took off his shirt, a small gasp escaped me as I stared at his perfectly chiselled, muscular chest. He must work out a lot because he was shaped like one of the Greek gods. Practically carved from stone.

“I want you to touch me there—”

“Uh-uh, I said to be specific,” he demanded.

Oh, God. I swallowed. “I want you to touch my pussy, rub my clit until I come apart … and then I want to feel your cock inside me, making me full. I want to come all over it,” I said, not knowing where this was all coming from. I wasn’t in the habit of talking dirty in bed, but this was different. I was not in my usual environment, and I felt so free. I don’t know if it was the drink or if it was because of Rupert asking me what I wanted. But, I felt like I could tell him what I wanted, even if it embarrassed me a bit. While I do what I do for work, I am a really reserved woman. I don’t normally speak this way, but for him, I felt like he was pulling it out of me.

“What a good girl. So, your soaking-wet pussy wants my big, hard cock?” He eyed me intensely as he approached the bed like I am prey. Then he took off his shorts and then his boxers, finally freeing what I was dying to see. His bulging dick sprang out of his boxers and stood at attention.

Oh, my God. I stared at his enormous cock wondering how it was even going to fit inside me, and I was suddenly a little apprehensive.

“Yes,” I replied in a shaky voice.

“Remove the rest of your clothes and spread your legs for me, you dirty, little slut.”

His rough voice sent a shiver down between my legs and caused me to throb more intensely than I ever had in my life. I had never been more turned on in my whole life. I quickly wriggled out of my shorts and knickers. The bed was huge and very comfortable.

“So fucking beautiful. Do you realise that I’m going to ruin your wet cunt and you will love every second of it?” Rupert climbed on the bed, leaning over me. His eyes were penetrating mine. I felt like he could see deep into my soul.He grabbed his cock and stroked it a couple of times, all while he was staring at me, eyes raking over me. I was so turned on I almost couldn’t stand it.

I squealed when he turned me around swiftly, so I was on all fours, arse is the air waiting for him. His words were a real turn-on, and I was so desperate for him to touch me. His hands caressed my ass, suddenly eased two fingers inside me.

“Christ, your pussy is soaking for me. Do you want me to rub your throbbing clit?” he asked me, playfully.

“Yes, Rupert, yes, please touch me there,” I pleaded with desperation. A surge of warmth began to spread from my core as his fingers explored me with a tantalising slowness. His body descended, and the sensation of his tongue teasingly brushing against my sensitive spot sent shockwaves through me. Fuck, this felt so amazing. My thighs trembled as he sucked on me like I was a lollipop.

“So wet and ready. Fuck, I’m going to explode inside you. Don’t worry, I’m not planning to go easy on you. I have all night to play with you and make sure you remember my big cock ramming into your cunt every time you even think about fucking another guy,” he said, and then he pulled away, his absence making me cry out for more.Gripping the sheets in anger, I didn’t want him to stop.

I was ready to beg him to fuck me. I’d been so close to climaxing. If only he had just kept that filthy mouth of his on my clit, I would have come. But apparently, Rupert had other plans. When I protested loudly, he slapped my arse hard, several times, and then rubbed my clit again in slow, torturous motions. The skin on my arse was burning, and my cum rolled down over my inner thighs. Something rustled behind me, it sounded like he was putting a condom on.

“Rupert, it’s too big … I can’t—” I began.

He suddenly thrust his enormous cock inside me, before I could react or beg him to take it easy. He was so big! The pain of being filled so tightly and quickly shot through me. I stopped breathing for a second as he stretched me from the inside out. I felt like I could go into hock at any moment.

“Shut up and take it like the good girl you are. Take it all. Fuck, you feel incredible.” He groaned as he eased himself out of me. Then he entered me fully again, I screamed his name and begged for mercy.

He gathered my hair in his fist and tugged on it hard, leaning down and whispering into my ear, “Remember, you dirty, red-haired whore … you will never forget this night. You will never forget this dick. And even if you do fuck someone else, you’ll always be disappointed knowing that that guy wasn’t me,” he spat towards me.

I was losing my mind, feeling this intense pain and pleasure all at the same time as Rupert pounded into me, harder and harder with each stroke. He indeed delivered on that promise, fucking me until I couldn’t move or even breathe. He came fast afterwards, and then he was ready to go again. I had never had sex like that in my life. Rupert was intense, rough, and he fucked me in every position that night, until the early hours in the morning, until I cried and begged him to let me rest. He was obsessed with making sure that I came every single time.

He would let me drift off to sleep for a little while, but then I woke up, I would find his head between my legs. Then began the sweet torture began all over again when he licked and sucked on my clit. He ate me up like I was his last meal and then proceeded to fuck me once again.

We both must have finally drifted off to sleep from exhaustion. The noise from the road woke me up and I realised it was broad daylight outside. When I grabbed my phone and checked the time, I cursed silently. I had to get out of that room, otherwise I would never make it back to London. My plane was leaving in two hours, I should be at the airport already. Rupert was fast asleep on his front, his back rising and falling in slow movements. My legs felt wobbly when I stood, and my head spun. This epic night was going to remain etched in my memories forever, I was certain of it.

I quickly gathered my clothes, got dressed, and snuck out of his room, knowing I would probably never see that wild man again. Maybe it was for the best.

It was the most incredible night of my life. It was exactly what I needed. Even if I could barely walk right now, it was worth it. Every second was worth it.

Rupert was something else and I felt sad walking out of that hotel room. I knew that this thing could never work between us.